Sandilands Ski Club says trails are in excellent condition thanks to recent snowfall

The president of the Sandilands Ski Club says the snowfall we've received over the last week and half has done wonders for their trail system. 

Back in early January, Chris Duester said the club was in dire need of fresh snow so they could set their trails. That wish came true. 

“Our conditions are excellent right now, we've groomed three different trail clusters in the Sandilands Forests. Those are all groomed and ready to go. I just got word that the red and orange trails are groomed and ready, and our Quarry Oaks trails are in great shape, then I got a call from the groomer that the Fly-In Golf Course is groomed and ready as well.” 

Duester notes trail quality at Quarry Oaks has also gone up this year as they have a new track setting machine. He notes all this work is done by a talented team of volunteers.  

“I'd love to take credit for being the track setter, but we have very dedicated groomers, a team that does Quarry, a gentleman that does the Fly-In and then another team that does Sandilands.” 

Della Stortski posted this photo of a cross country ski trial through the Sandilands on the Sandilands Ski Club Facebook page

We may sometimes take it for granted, but Duester says the Southeast is really a destination for many cross-country skiers. 

“I run into people on the trails and I always make a point of welcoming them out and seeing where they're from. We get a lot of traffic from Winnipeg because we have a gem and it's 20 minutes from Steinbach. We have hills which are hard to find in Manitoba, we have mature forest, you can get out of the wind, it's really good and our groomers take a lot of pride in producing a quality product.” 

Duester says anyone who is interested in using the Sandilands Ski Club trail system or becoming a member should visit their website which has all of the information you need. He says there are also trail maps with a colour coded challenge rating system. 

In addition, he notes “Our club just spent money and partnered with the SRSS Carpentry Department to create new trailside map boxes. Those are up, so a newcomer can get out there and hopefully feel like they know where they are.” 

If you have never been cross-country skiing or you are a beginner and want to get better, Duester says the Sandilands Ski Club has organized several one-day learn-to-ski workshops. 

“We've got experienced, trained coaches and [the workshops] happen at Quarry Oaks. So, it's really nearby, it's very affordable and it starts this Saturday and after this one, there's two more, one in February and one in March.” 

Duester notes they have seen a surge in interest over the last few years, which is very encouraging. 

“The last two to three years have been blockbuster years in terms of membership and day users. You don't have to get a season pass, you can just pay as you go but yeah, numbers have been very healthy.” 

Photo credit: Peter Muehling